Inspiration for the Weary
by Magpie Game
Summary: Shunsui is worn thin with new responsibilities and biting loneliness. Nanao wants to help carry the burden. Comfort and romance, rated M for caution.


**A/N: This is somewhat of a sequel to Good to You. I hope you like it. Thanks for reading! **

Shunsui was sitting on his porch staring out at the breeze. The almond blossoms were in season, and petals were tinkling through the air. It was quiet, the night was dark and his lamps were low. Aside from the general loneliness he always felt it was quite peaceful.

The loneliness had gotten worse after Yamamato died. In many ways Yama-ji had been a better father to Shunsui than his own. Losing him felt was more than losing family. It was losing the last beacon of childhood, of home. Juushiro felt it too, and while the two friends had each other neither knew how to carry this particular burden. The added burden of the head captain's mantle weighed on Shunsui's shoulder. He closed his remaining eye and thought about where his friend was resting his head that night. Shunsui smiled, he knew that Ukitake and Rangiku had become close as of late. Shunsui wondered if Ukitake was with her; in his own rooms, laying back on his bed, stroking her bare skin. It some ways it made sense. They had been friends for years. Rangiku knew pain and abandonment after Gin betrayed them. She was strong enough to not replace him immediately with someone else. Juushiro was enough of a peaceful anchor for her to trust completely, despite her many hidden boundaries. The comfort of someone knowing you completely and not turning away was something Shunsui envied. But he also was aware of the difference between himself and his old friend. Shunsui had wells of darkness that few dared to go near. Ukitake was brightness and laughter. Shunsui was the night when the moon was only a sliver. Too dark and deep to see through clearly.

"Not asleep?" Nanao's voice broke his trail of thought. She was standing near the end of his porch in a simple green and pink yukata with her hair down.

"I don't sleep easily. You know that." Shunsui responded, trying to stay light. She hadn't come to him since they spent their last night at the eighth together. He missed her, their night together had been beautiful but agonizing, since the space between them only seemed to widen after it.

"Hm," Nanao came to stand in front of him. He motioned for her to sit down. She grabbed a cushion and placed it next to him. Shunsui expected it to be a foot or more away but this cushion fell smack dab next to his hip. She sunk down into it and he swallowed a sip of sake quickly. "Truth be told I was hoping you would be awake."

"Found paperwork I forgot?" Shunsui tried to smile but it came out obviously forced. He was angry with her, he wanted her, he missed her. As she sat next to him he couldn't decide what he how to communicate any of that to her or even if it mattered. She was so close to him, but even now she felt five feet away.

"No. None of that." Nanao leaned back on her hands. She must have just bathed because Shunsui could smell the jasmine in her soaps. It tickled his nostrils. "Shuuhei-san tells me you've stopped your column."

"I've been busy." Shunsui grinned naturally now. He had forgotten that fun little trinket he used to dabble in. "Besides, it's not like anymore misses it."

"That's not fair." Nanao pouted. Was it a real pout? Shunsui averted his eyes. "I was your most loyal reader."

"Then it's truly not missed." Shunsui laughed coldly. He stood and stretched and walked a few steps to the front of the porch. He leaned against a post as he continued to stare out at the blossoms. "You only read it to humor me. Besides, I've lost the inspiration."

"I thought that might be the problem." Nanao said, rising quietly. Shunsui heard the rustle of cloth as she came to stand behind him. He inhaled sharply and his back straightened. Always the well trained soldier his muscles tensed. Shunsui readied himself for an attack but instead two gentle hands wrapped around his torso. Nanao slipped her hands past the white captain's haori, under the black uniform shirt, and onto the firm muscles of his abdomen.

Shunsui tensed. He turned quickly, grasping her wrists with one hand. She blinked at him in surprise. Shunsui glanced down and noticed that she had untied the knot in her sash. The front of her yukata hung loose down her chest. He grabbed it with his other hand, closing it as much as possible.

"What are you doing?"

"I thought I'd inspire you." Nanao began quietly. Shunsui scanned her reitsu twice. It was her, but these actions felt foreign and strange. In the past he had to coax and coddle her to receive any affection. Even when she was open to him that one night it was never like this.

"Did someone give you something? To induce you to do this?" Shunsui asked. He wondered if someone put her up to this, to pulling him out of his glum and focusing on his tasks.

"No." She winced. A quick slice of pain passed through her eyes. It hurt him seeing that but he surged forward. He had less time for games now.

"Then why are you doing this?" He frowned, pulling her closer. The further away she was the more he could see of her exposed skin. It was too tempting and he didn't want to be a coward and close his eye. The closer she was the more he could smell her, and that didn't help either. It was a lose lose situation.

"I missed you." Nanao's voice wasn't a whisper but it wasn't her normal decibel either. She freed one hand from his grasp and reached out to him. Her hand found the planes of his chest and began to lightly stroke his collarbone. "Is that allowed?"

Shunsui didn't say anything. He released her hands and let his own fall to his sides. Maybe this was all one dream. Maybe he drank more than he realized and passed out on the cushions. He hated those dreams, the teasing devils they were, but it made more sense than this, seduction she was attempting. She had confessed feelings for him before, but normally that only happened when she thought he was asleep. But now Nanao was here, in the flesh, touching him, stirring fire in his veins from just the sound of her voice. Did she know about the pain he was in? Was she trying to comfort him? The threads holding him together were stretched tight. He wasn't sure if he could another night that held no promises.

"Did you miss me?" Nanao asked, both of her hands were running up his arms now and settling on his shoulders, "After that night? Did you want me again?"

The tension inside snapped. Shunsui responded by leaning down and pressing his lips firmly against hers. She sighed in relief as his hands gripped her waist. The yukata parted more as she shifted to be closer to him. Her bare chest pressed against his body and he couldn't bother stifling the moan in the back of his throat. The wind blew petals onto the porch and into their hair. It was the perfect fantasy setting, but privacy was more appealing than fantasy. For all his romantic tastes Shunsui wanted her for himself.

He pulled them back into his bedroom where the lights were still dimly lit. She stepped back from him as she began to work the uniform off of his body. The distance between them was unbearable, Shunsui closed it and slide the yukata off her body completely. His own clothes fell in a heap at the foot of the bed. He placed her glasses on the side table. Nanao lifted her head and began to string kisses along his neck and jawline. She nibbled at his pulse and then laved the spot with her tongue.

"Always," He breathed, "I always want you."

Her lips curved into a smile against his skin. Nanao continued her ministrations with her tongue down his throat to his collar bone. She lavished special attention to the dip in the center. His arms tightened around her as he hoisted her body up to his. She wrapped her legs around him in response, holding tighter to his shoulders. One of Shunsui's knees knelt against the bed as he lowered her onto the mattress. Nanao arched her body against his, once again pressing their bare chests together. She loved the brush of his skin and hair against her body. Shunsui bent his head to her breasts and he kissed and licked the path between them. She sighed, slipping her fingers into his hair.

"Shunsui," Nanao whispered.

"Tell me you missed me." Shunsui rasped, his lips covering her throat, her chest, her lips. His affection was hot and demanding. It was unrelenting. Despite her moans he continued to press on, peeling back more layers on her desire. "Tell me."

"I've missed you." She found his ear and whispered in it. "I've missed you so much since that night."

He groaned and captured her lips again. It wasn't enough but it would do for now. Shunsui's hand stroked down her belly to tease at her core. Nanao gasped into his mouth when she felt his finger slip into her.

"Don't stop," she requested. He obeyed, following her cues. When he retracted his hand she protested but her words fell flat when he lifted himself above her. She closed her eyes, waiting for the sweet contact that was promised. When it didn't happen she opened them again, frowning. She could see the tension in his face, his body.

"Nanao," He gasped. "You're so,"

But he couldn't finish. He couldn't bear any rejection or withdrawal from her. It was nearly impossible to think of walking away from this without further connection to her.

"Please?" She whispered, "Please? I need you."

Those words, so simple and gentle in their confession, broke his control. He entered her, joining them together as she gasped in pleasure. They moved together, finding the right rhythm. Nanao gripped his shoulders pressing him even closer, any distance was too much. Shunsui found her lips, her throat and her shoulders with his own mouth. They were slick with sweat and spit but neither cared. Together they pressed and rose until Nanao found the piercing sweetness they had been reaching for. She cried out with her face pressed along his shoulder, unashamed of the pleasure. Shunsui's groan soon followed as his body tightened and his own sweet relief spilled over. He sunk his body down next to hers, pulling her so that she was turned toward him. She was shivering and her eyes were turned down. He reached out to cup her chin.

"You're so open," He murmured. Had this truly happened? He was tempted to do a reitsu scan to make sure it was truly her. "So open with me. Why?"

Nanao lifted her hand to his face and gently removed the eyepatch. He sighed and closed his good eye in embarrassment. But it opened again when he felt her lips touch the damaged socket.

"I don't want to lose you." Nanao confessed. "I don't want to lose you before I've even had you."

"You won't lose me Nanao-chan." Shunsui soothed. He drew her closer to his body and her head lay on his chest. She reached down and covered them with the blanket.

"I almost did. Don't you know how much of me is wrapped up in you?" She whispered against his chest. "I just need to be with you."

"You don't need to walk this with me, Nanao-chan." Shunsui explained. "You don't have to join me,"

"As if I could leave you now." She tilted her head back to look him in the face. "I couldn't. Not now. Not ever."

"I love you Nanao-chan." Shunsui said. She smiled and went to press him closer but he stopped her. "Do you love me?"

"You know I do." Nanao responded.

"Then tell me." Shunsui swallowed. It was greedy and childish but he needed it all the same. "Please?"

"I love you." Nanao traced his lips with her fingers. "I love you, Shunsui."

Shunsui kissed her again, hot and tender but sating. She pressed close to him, resting her head on his chest, and listened to the steady drum of his heartbeat under her ear. Nanao knew that at some point in the night they would unhook from one another to find a more comfortable way to sleep; but she didn't want to think about that now. She wanted to remember this moment. This was what she wanted to take her into slumber. Uncertainty would be present in every new day, but at least this moment was calm.

Shunsui remembered his earlier vision of Juushiro and the jealousy that had flared within him. He chuckled inwardly at how quickly his emotions could change. There was no jealousy now, only contentment. For the first time in a long time he was genuinely, delightfully tired. Nanao's hot breath teased his chest as she slept and he ran his hand down her back coaxing her to shiver and cling closer to him. No, there was no more jealousy. Nanao had completed her mission. As he drifted off to sleep he was full of inspiration.


End file.
